Part 2

Toby got there first. He decided to wait for Josh, so he stayed in his car watching Sam's house. He could see the lights were on, but didn't see Sam. He couldn't sleep much the night before. He kept remembering the time his father died. How he didn't have anyone to talk to that was close. He promised he would never let a friend feel the pain that he had felt.

"Toby." Josh came up to the driver's-side window and knocked. Toby didn't even see him and jumped.

"Jesus Josh! Give me a heart attack." Toby yelled as he got out of the car.

"Sorry. You ready?"

"Yeah, lets go." Toby said as he gave Josh a glare. Toby walked a little in front of Josh, but he could tell Josh was smiling.

"Is your head still hurting?" Josh asked as they got to the door.

"No Josh, it feels like a million bucks. Ring the damn door bell will ya!"

Sam quickly opened the door with a confused look on his face.

"Morning Sam." Toby smiled.

"What are you two doing here at five in the morning?"

"We came to take you away." Josh smiled.

"Look, I have plans." Sam said, going back into his home to finish packing.

"So do we." Toby said.

"Good, then go do them."

"We are." Josh answered. "Our plan is to take you to California."

"What?" Sam stopped and looked at the two of them. "I can get there on my own, but thanks."

"But…" Josh started but was hushed by Toby.

"Can you give us a minute?" Toby asked Josh.

"Sure, you want me to get your bags?"

"Yeah, here." Toby handed Josh his car keys. "Thanks."

"Sure." Josh smiled and walked out to Toby's car.

"Look, Toby…"

"Let me talk Sam. This is not a time to be proud. This is a time for grief. Josh and I had to go through our dad's passing away with hardly anybody. We felt the pain that goes along with losing someone you love, and it's a time to be with friends who care about you." Toby put his hands on Sam's shoulders. "Let us be those friends and take you to where you need to go. This is not the time to be alone. Okay?"

"Thanks." Sam felt the tears run down his face, but brushed them away.

"Let the tears go Sam. It helps. Trust me." Toby said while hugging Sam.

"I got the bags." Josh came in and saw the two men. "Oh, it's a moment." Josh joked and walked over to them and joined the hug. "The three musketeers right here." Josh joked.

"Yeah." Sam smiled shyly.

"Lets get going, shall we." Toby said.

"Yeah, let's go." Sam smiled and grabbed some bags. "What car are we taking?"

"Probably yours. Toby's car won't fit all three of us, and my car doesn't run."

"How did you get here?" Toby asked.

"Donna."

"That woman. I swear. She needs a raise for taking care of your sorry ass."

"She'll get one when I get one." Josh joked. "Let's go."

Sam drove, Josh sat in the passenger's seat, and Toby sat in the back.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since I went on a trip?" Josh mentioned.

"We go on trips all the time." Toby said.

"I mean non-work trips." Josh smiled. "Look at us, three men, two good-looking men, and another one." Josh smirked.

"Funny boy." Toby smiled sarcastically. "I think I am very good-looking."

"Yep." Josh and Sam laughed.

"Who made it in the People magazines sexiest men issue? Me. Sexiest politician/writer/whatever else if I remember correctly." Toby smirked. He knew it was a soft spot for Sam and Josh.

"I still think you paid them for that." Josh smirked.

"Still jealous, are we?" Toby joked while hitting Josh in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah." Josh smiled and brushed it off.

"Look." Sam pointed at the sign that told them they were no longer in DC.

"Well, we are officially on the road." Toby smiled.

"Yep. Feels good." Sam smiled.

"Yeah it does." Josh agreed. "Can we eat now. I'm starving."

"We're going to be hearing this the whole trip, aren't we?" Toby groaned.

"I'm a growing boy Tobias. I need my food." Josh smiled.

"You're forty one years old Joshua. I think you're done growing."

"That's what you think. One of the greatest things about traveling is to experience different foods." Josh said. "Look. There's a diner."

"That's a truck stop." Sam remarked flatly.

"It's a truck stop diner place." Josh said sarcastically.

"Where did you go to school again?" Toby asked.

"Look, it's still breakfast time. How can someone mess up eggs? Pull over."

Sam parked and all three of them got out. They were dressed pretty nice. All had slacks on and nice sweaters. They all looked like they just came from a Calvin Klein photo shoot. When they walked in, everyone in the diner looked at them, and all conversations they were having stopped.

"Yeah moron, we really fit in." Toby told Josh while hitting him.

"We do." Josh whispered as they began to walk to an empty booth.

"Josh, everyone in here are truck drivers." Sam whispered while sitting down next to him.

"Well, we knew it was a truck stop place."

"Shut up." Sam got out before the waitress came over.

"What can I get for you boys?" The young woman said.

"What's good here?" Josh smiled.

"Well, you came at a good time. I'd rather eat the breakfast here then the lunch or dinner. I'd try the early bird special. You get everything." She smiled.

"I'll get that then." Josh smiled.

"Me too." Sam and Toby said together quickly.

"It'll be right up." The waitress winked at Josh before walking away.

"She's cute." Josh mentioned.

"Anyway." Toby said sarcastically while giving Josh a glare.

"Thank you." Sam said quietly while looking down. Josh and Toby both looked at him.

"For what?" Josh asked.

"For coming. It really means a lot to me." Sam smiled. Josh put his arm around Sam and squeezed a little.

"What are friends for?" Josh smiled. Just then Josh looked over at the counter and saw a man looking at him. Josh nodded, and then the man blew him a kiss. Josh let go of Sam and moved closer to the wall. "Okay, we need to get out of here as fast as humanly possibly." Josh whispered. He looked over at Toby and saw him laughing.

"You're irresistible Josh." Toby hardly got out.

"Shut up asshole, he might hear you."

Just then the waitress came back with their food.

"Here you boys go."

"Thank you." All three said together.

"You know, you guys look so familiar. What is it you guys do?"

The men looked at each other and smiled.

"We're singers." Sam let out. Both Josh and Toby smiled.

"Really? Wow, for what band?"

"Well, we're just small time. They call us the…" Sam tried to think fast.

"The senior staffers." Toby helped.

"The senior staffers, that's so cool."

"Yeah, they're saying we may be the next beatles." Josh added, smiling at her.

"I can see why. Three good-looking guys like yourselves, why not."

"Exactly." Josh winked.

"I hope to see you guys in concert soon. Have any dates picked out?"

"Not yet, but give me your phone number and I'll make sure you get the VIP treatment." Josh smiled.

"I'll go write it down." She grinned and hurried away.

"The senior staffers?" Josh laughed at Toby.

"What the hell, you guys didn't help any." Toby couldn't help but smile. "Shhh, she's coming back." Toby said quickly when the waitress came back.

"Here, I'm Sarah by the way." She handed Josh her card.

"I'm J…" Josh stopped. "Erik Spencer." He said while shaking her hand.

"It's very nice to meet you Erik Spencer." She smiled. "Be sure to call me."

"Oh, I will." Josh smiled as she walked away.

They ate the rest of the food in silence. They could see everyone was staring at them.

"Can we go now?" Toby said as he finished.

"Yeah, allow me to pay the bill gentlemen." Josh smiled. Sam got up to let him out of the booth.

"Lets go wait out in the car." Toby said while pulling Sam with him out the door.

"It was nice meeting you Erik. I hope to hear from you." Sarah said. "Breakfast is on the house." She smiled.

"Why thank you kind lady. 'Till we meet again." Josh said taking Sarah's hand and kissing it.

"Yes." She blushed and watched as Josh, or Erik, walked out the door.

TBC